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"Discourse, Power and Justice" is a distinctive and theoretically informed, empirical study of the administration of the prison system. It is based on extensive research, mainly in Scotland, and combines theoretical innovation with detailed empirical evidence. The book is located at a confluence of two academic sub-disciplines and their associated literature, socio-legal studies of justice and the sociology of knowledge. Their combination has produced a novel theoretical framework. The authors focus on the activities of those who manage the prison system. They identify the most important social actors in the system, located both historically and comparatively, and examine their characteristic forms of discourse. A major focus of the book is on the different forms and mechanisms of accountability and the book concludes with an analysis of recent policy changes.

List of figures

List of tables

Acknowledgements

List of abbreviations

Introduction

Institutions, actors and trends in imprisonment

p. 1

Discourses and discursive struggles

p. 26

Classification: the core of the prison system

p. 51

Transfers and careers: reinforcing classification

p. 82

Regimes: the power of the governors and the marginalisation of other professionals

p. 106

Petitions to the Secretary of State: handling requests and settling grievances?

p. 137

The Prisons Inspectorate: monitoring regimes and improving standards?

p. 159

The European Convention on Human Rights: protecting prisoners' rights?